Planning of a Multi-Disciplinary Rapid Product Realization Program

Abstract

This paper describes a multi-disciplinary rapid product realization program being planned at the University of Missouri-Rolla. The goal is to equip our engineering graduates with the necessary knowledge and skills that will make them ready to meet the challenges of rapid product realization when they go to work in industry. The developed program will provide the students with a solid technical knowledge about critical technologies of virtual reality, solid freeform fabrication, and supply chain networks; an ability to apply this knowledge and integrate the various critical technologies with conventional technologies to develop useful products; and an ability to apply both technical and professional skills in a team environment for distributed rapid development of real-world products. The plan of program development includes: 1) developing three new courses to introduce modern technologies for rapid product realization: one on virtual reality, one on rapid prototyping and manufacturing, and one on supply chain networks, 2) incorporating the modern technologies of virtual reality, rapid prototyping, and supply chain networks in the teaching of several existing courses related to rapid product realization, and 3) developing laboratories, including a virtual reality instruction laboratory, a rapid prototyping laboratory, and a distributed manufacturing simulation laboratory, to support the curriculum development. Evaluation of the overall impact of this program will be done in a manner analogous to the evaluation process described in the ABET Engineering Criteria 2000. It will make use of multiple (i.e., qualitative and quantitative) methodologies and will differentiate among multiple levels of knowledge (i.e., foundational, functional, and structural).

Meeting Name

International Conference on Engineering Education

Department(s)

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Second Department

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering

Third Department

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Fourth Department

Business and Information Technology

Keywords and Phrases

Rapid Product Realization; Solid Freeform Fabrication; Supply Chain Networks; Virtual Reality

Document Type

Article - Conference proceedings

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2000 International Network for Engineering Education and Research (iNEER), All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Aug 2000

Link to Full Text

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